21. Graham Quirk

He’s a family man from the Northside who moved to Brisbane’s far south and became Lord Mayor, first by appointment and then by popular vote.

Very popular, in fact; Graham Quirk swept to power in 2012 with 62 per cent of the primary vote – a result better than that achieved by his predecessor Queensland Premier Campbell Newman.

A very long career in local government may have something to do with it – Cr Quirk was elected to council in 1985 and has been a member of civic cabinet for over a decade.

In other words, he knows where the bodies are buried.

In fact, many of the headlines the Lord Mayor will make this year relate to the Brisbane underground; his Liberal National Party administration is responsible for the delivery of the city’s $1.5 billion Legacy Way tunnel, the biggest bit of infrastructure to hit City Hall’s $3 billion budget.

It’s probably a good thing he has a background in economics.

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Balancing Brisbane’s back-pocket will only become more important.

And with more rate-rises likely, Cr Quirk may come to rely on his winning personality to-boot.